


You're The One That I Want

by emmettew



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Diners, Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Bisexual Male Character, Canon LGBTQ Character, F/F, F/M, Gay, Gentle Kissing, Komaeda Nagito Being Komaeda Nagito, M/M, Monogamy, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Post-Graduation, Rating May Change, Sexuality Crisis, Sharing Clothes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:14:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23324539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmettew/pseuds/emmettew
Summary: Nekomaru realizes he might have feelings for the cook at a local diner. A cute story for my favorite rare pair with some side ships to add to it.
Relationships: Asahina Aoi/Ogami Sakura, Hagakure Yasuhiro/Kuwata Leon, Hanamura Teruteru/Nidai Nekomaru, Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito, Ishimaru Kiyotaka/Oowada Mondo, Kirigiri Kyoko/Naegi Makoto, Kuzuryu Fuyuhiko/Pekoyama Peko, Nanami Chiaki/Owari Akane, Sonia Nevermind/Soda Kazuichi/Tanaka Gundham, Tsumiki Mikan/Ultimate Imposter
Comments: 22
Kudos: 79





	1. Chapter 1

Nekomaru sat in his apartment, his head rested along the top of his dining room table. He took a deep breath, the hot exhaled air pushing back into his face against the wood.

His head hurt. He'd gone to that small diner every week since that brunette cook started working there. He would buy a paper, sit at the bar, order a single egg, drink his protein shake and watch the cute cook as he worked. He'd only spoken to the cook twice, once when the shorter man pointed out that he'd never seen someone actually drink a protein shake, and another when he asked what flavor he had. 

"Chocolate." Was all he'd managed to respond. He was so overwhelmed with the playful look in the cooks eye. The cook just let out a breathy laugh and turned back to the grill behind the order window. He didn't know why his heart felt full. He didn't even know the cook's name.

He only let out another deep exhale at the thought. He'd never felt like this with someone. Sure, he'd had girlfriends that gave him butterflies, but never had they made him feel loved with just looking at him. The cook had a gleam in his eye; it attracted him. 

"Hey, muscles." Chirped his roommate's voice, the white haired man nudged his shoulder as he stepped into their tiny kitchen. "Why do you look like your head's about to explode?" Nidai just shrugged. He didn't know why he and Nagito decided to room together. Nagito was just pushy and hopeful. Nidai respected that about him. Well, the hopeful part; plus, Nagito seemed to get the rent cheaper, for whatever lucky reason.

"Can I tell you something pretty serious?" Nekomaru muttered, lifting his head, as Nagito sat across from him with a glass of water. He felt like an idiot. Sure, Nagito would understand the male attraction, being that he was wearing his boyfriend's shirt and said boyfriend was asleep in his room. Nidai just didn't know if Nagito would actually understand. 

"Depends on what it is." Nagito joked, he sipped his water while he looked at the taller man. Nekomaru couldn't look him in the eyes. He felt like an idiot. He should know if he's gay or not, yet here he was, unsure if someone could even be just a little bit gay. He took a deep breath, fidgeting with his fingers.

"I think I'm gay." He said, still not looking Nagito in the eyes. He felt like an idiot. Why was he like this? His stomach felt like a boulder had formed inside it.

"Oh." Was the hesitant response from the other God, what the fuck? Why couldn't Nidai just make up his fucking mind?

"I don't think you are." replied the shorter male. What? What was that supposed to mean? He knew he liked the cook. He knew he found him cute. He liked watching the way he bit his lip as he cooked. He liked watching him perfect his plates before sending them out. He knew he liked him. But he also liked girls.

"But...There's this guy." Nekomaru said, finally just sucking it up and looking at him. Nagito smiled softly, taking another sip from his water. Nidai felt like he was being mocked. He was confused and just distraught.

"I think you're bisexual, Nidai." The smaller man said, setting his drink down as he returned the look. "I know you like women. I've seen the way you act around girls you like. But, I've also seen you around some men. You act the same. You get that look of infatuation." He explained. 

Bisexual. Nidai was bisexual. That made sense. The only other time he felt like this with someone was with his ex, Akane. But she was female. And the cook was male. Bisexual seemed to fit.

"Okay.." Nidai said, the information processing as he took a deep breath. Nagito chuckled softly as he stood up. 

"Glad I could help." Nagito stood next to him, and rubbed his shoulder. "Calm down, alright? It'll be okay. Took me a while to come to terms too." Nidai just felt like an idiot. He could've just looked it up, he felt stupid for asking Nagito. 

He only nodded. He'd go back to the diner tomorrow, and he'd talk to the cook. He'd ask him out. They'd go on a cute date to the movies or something. He'd buy him flowers. He liked that idea. 

Nagito walked back to his room, where Nekomaru could hear Hajime wake back up to lecture him about leaving. He remained at his seat for a few minutes, before sighing and heading back to his room.

The small room was a bit of a mess, his gym clothes hastily thrown in his hamper, while his normal clothes were littered on the ground. He took his tank top off, throwing it towards the messy hamper. He rubbed his face and sat down on his bed.

He laid back on his bed, arms splayed on either side of him. Tomorrow. He would ask the chef out tomorrow. He needed to start planning where they would go if the cook said yes. He didn't think dinner was a good idea for a cook. Maybe a movie? Maybe a bar? Fuck. 

He pulled himself up to the headboard, resting his head against his pillows. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, and sent Nagito a quick text.

To: Hope Whore, 11:43 P.M.

"Thanks."

He set his phone down, and only returned his attention to it when it vibrated in his hand.

From: Hope Whore, 11:48 P.M.

"No problem, big man. Go to sleep."

Nekomaru chuckled softly, purely due to the fact that he knew Nagito wasn't going to go to sleep yet. But, he decided that sleep would probably be the best thing for him. He leaned and plugged his phone in, then returned comfortably to his spot amongst his pillows. He pulled his blanket up, and eventually drifted off. 

~

He woke up to his alarm blaring, and pushed himself up onto his palms. He turned his head to the bright phone screen, and shut the alarm off. He rubbed his eyes, and swung his legs over the side of his bed. After a moment of collecting his thoughts, he stood up and found a clean pair of jeans to put on. He pulled on a blue t-shirt, and his black jacket. 

He made his way tiredly to the bathroom, passing Nagito's room on the way. The door was open, and Hajime stood in the room, texting someone. Nidai shot him a quick greeting, earning a wave in return.

He shut the bathroom door and brushed his teeth, looking at his tired eyes in the mirror. He left for the kitchen once he finished. He made his protein shake, and left a note for Nagito telling him where he was headed, like he did every morning. The tradition started after Nagito came home from Hajimes one day, and freaked out because he thought Nidai hadn't returned home. Nidai had just spent the night at Akane's. She dumped him that day, though. 

He shook the thought away, and made his morning walk to the diner. When he finally approached the small restaurant, he took a deep breath and grabbed his morning paper before entering. The small entrance bell rang, and the cooks voice was heard. 

"There you are! You're five minutes late, you know." Nidai smiled gently. He must've been rather lax on his routine that morning.

"Sorry about that, it won't happen again." He responded, sitting at his normal bar seat. The waitress, who he had learned the name of, didn't bother to come over. She was busy, cleaning tables. Hiyoko was a sharp tongued young woman, who very clearly was not a fan of the morning shift. He ordered the same one egg every morning, both workers knew the routine. 

"Don't apologize, silly. Your breakfast will be right up!" The cook responded, rather perky for 7:30 in the morning. He very clearly loved to cook, no matter the time of day. Nekomaru just smiled softly, beginning to read his paper.

Hiyoko glanced at him, before making her way over. She slammed her spray bottle onto his paper, gaining his attention. He looked at her, furrowing his brows.

"You know, you're the only one that sits at the bar." She spoke quietly, her early morning anger seeping through her words. "I notice when you look at him. He looks at you when you aren't looking. It's annoying. You distract him. Either ask him out or stop playing games." She practically shook with annoyance, lifting her bottle and walking to the order window.

Nekomaru glanced up the order window as the cook slid his plate through. Hiyoko grabbed the plate, setting it down on top of his paper once again.

"He takes a small break in 15 minutes. You're usually gone by then. You're the only one that comes this early so don't worry about making others wait."

He swallowed gently, and grabbed the napkin wrapped utensils. 

"I don't even know his name." He said, letting his clear nervousness affect his words.

"For fucks sake, it's Teru. Hurry it up." Hiyoko sneered, and went back to cleaning tables. He glanced up through the window again, seeing Teru get his kitchen cleaned for a busy floor later in the day. 

Nekomaru ate, and drank his shake. He didn't bother to move the paper out from under his plate. He very rarely actually read it, more so just used it as a cover for his short glances.

Sure enough, just as Hiyoko said, Teru left to take his short break. Once he left out of the back exit, Hiyoko motioned her head in that direction for Nidai. 

Nidai swallowed softly and stood, leaving his pay on the bar before following Teru. He opened the door, and looked over, only to see Teru looking at the open door.

"Hey," He said softly, his phone in his hand. "Since when do you stay this long? You only get one egg. I'm a little insulted that you only eat one of my eggs." He joked, a gentle smile on his lips.

Nidai slowly took a few steps towards him, letting the door swing shut. He returned the smile.

"Sorry about that. Dieting." He said, scratching the back of his neck. He felt like he was in middle school, talking to his first crush. He felt his heart thumping in his chest.

"I didn't ever learn your name, big man." He said, having to look up to hold eye contact with Nidai. It was cute how short he was compared to Nekomaru.

"Oh, it's Nekomaru. Nekomaru Nidai." He said, his instincts making him offering his hand to him. Teru tilted his head, his smile growing as he shook his hand.

"Well, I'm Teruteru Hanamura. Nice to meet you, Nekomaru."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HA bet you thought I was dead. Nah, just lazy. Also - thank my editor and best friend for the fact that this is out, I'm too insecure to release anything without editing.

The brunette smiled up at the taller man sweetly, shoving his phone into his apron pocket. He didn’t seem uncomfortable to be around Nekomaru, even though there was a considerable difference in their size. Teru’s size was a factor that definitely attracted Nekomaru. He’d always been into people that were smaller than him, and it was no different with Teru.

Nekomaru stared at him for what seemed like ages, but couldn’t have been more than a few seconds. He couldn’t help it, there was a sort of effortless charm to the brunette that Nekomaru couldn’t quite put his finger on. All he knew was the sense of attraction he felt for him was more than anything he had ever felt for someone before.

“You know, I see sometimes when you look at me, through the window. It’s cute.” The brunette continued, both of his hands shoved in his front apron pockets. That made Nidai blush, his face flushing with a gentle pink tint to his tanned skin.

“Ah, well..I, you’re…” He scraped every corner of his mind for a possible excuse that wasn’t ‘you’re cute’ or ‘I think I’m in love with you’. Once again, Nidai felt like an utter idiot. His hands felt clammy and his breath seemed to hitch, his chest was tight and uncomfortable. Teru however didn’t turn his eyes away. He seemed to know exactly why Nidai was acting the way he was, and he only let out a breathy laugh.

“You know, I think we should go out sometime. Maybe tonight, if you’re free,” Teruteru eventually said, cutting Nidai’s stammering thoughts off. “We can meet here, and then I’ll take you to my friend's show.” He pulled his phone out from his apron and unlocked it. He opened his contacts and gave his phone to Nidai. “Give me your number and I’ll text you the details, okay?”

Teru was very clearly the type to take an idea and run with it. Nidai hadn’t even said yes, but he was putting his number into the other man's phone anyway. He handed the phone back to Teru and nodded. 

“Yeah, that sounds nice. I’ll see you tonight.” Nidai’s face was still flushed, and his chest was still tight, but at least they had plans. Teru gave him a soft smile, his eyes closing in a blissful response. That smile brought Nidai a sense of calm, allowing the tenseness in his muscles that he didn’t even know was there to release. 

“Meet me here at 7:30? We can walk to the venue and talk before the show,” The brunette said, slipping his phone back into his apron pocket. “I have to head back in but I’ll see you tonight, Nidai.” He playfully winked at him before opening the door and going back into the kitchen, leaving Nidai to turn to mush in his boots. To say his stomach was making ‘butterflies’ is an understatement. 

He managed to start walking, his head swirling with a million different thoughts. What was he supposed to wear? Should he buy flowers? Probably not, if they were walking and going to a show. He shook his head and ran his hands through his short hair. He needed to get through the day and then he could worry about the date. He had work in like half an hour and still had to get ready for the class later. Being a fitness instructor was probably the easiest job Nidai had ever had, yet here he was, head too full to even think about his class. 

~

He walked through the rows of people on stationary bikes, saying some encouraging things through his headset that went through the speakers hanging above them. He forgot today was his paired lesson with Leon, a fiery redhead who had too many piercings to count. Leon was on the bike in front of the class, peddling quickly before leading them into a calm paced break. He glanced at Nidai, and cracked his neck.

Leon and Nidai got along, but Leon didn’t have the effort required for the job most of the time. They were friends, but often argued over Leon’s work ethic. Leon’s husband also smoked just a bit too much weed for Nidai’s liking, especially for a businessman, but Hagakure was nice enough. Frankly, he was surprised either of them were married. They didn’t seem like the marriage type, but that wasn’t his business. They seemed happy, and that’s what mattered. Honestly, Nidai was a bit jealous of their apparent happiness.

After the break, Nidai announced the class was out for the day. The people got off their bikes, grabbed their water and towels, and filed out slowly, Nidai giving them all a goodbye. Leon hopped off the front bike, grabbed a clean towel and took a drink of his water.

“You did well today, Kuwata.” He said, after everyone had left. The redhead let out a breathless chuckle, and nodded. “Thanks. You too.” He clapped Nidai on the back with his palm, causing his face to twist. It didn’t necessarily hurt, just stung. He rolled his shoulders with a sigh.

“Hagakure back from Canada yet?” He asked, remembering he was told about the man's business trip. He didn’t quite remember how long the trip was supposed to be, but he knew that he was supposed to get back sometime soon. 

“He’s supposed to come home tonight. Doubt he will though, his readings are getting popular. Turns out people are getting really into psychics over there.” He said, crossing his arms with a frustrated huff. Nidai forgot that Hagakure wasn’t running a traditional business. He also forgot about the whole ‘psychic’ part. It was an unusual job to Nidai, and it was an even weirder job to be making so much money off of. Leon and Hagakure were very well off, to the point where Leon almost didn’t need to have a job. He kept coming though, saying it prevented him from being lonely while Hagakure was away. Nidai could understand that.

He nodded to what Leon was saying, taking a deep breath as he crossed his arms over his chest. He glanced over to the front desk through the glass door, seeing Akane say goodbye to the attendants. His stomach churned, and he shook his gaze away. He hadn’t spoken to her since she picked up her stuff from the apartment seven months ago. Their relationship didn't end on a good note, their breakup a big screaming match with some flying plates. They both were too headstrong, as Nagito would say constantly. 

Akane wasn’t a bad person, not at all, she was probably one of the best women Nidai had ever known. But Nidai certainly had to agree with Nagito. She wanted their lives to go one way, and he wanted another. They constantly clashed at the idea of marriage, kids, buying a house for themselves, all of it. They had been dating since sophomore year, meeting in biology class and immediately becoming friends. Nidai still remembered asking her out after a football game, still sweaty in his shoulder pads. Their first kiss was after their first movie date. They broke up 2 weeks after their six year anniversary. 

It still stung. Nidai was upset about it up until about two months ago. Hell, it was six years of his life, five months was a reasonable amount of time to get over it. He thought she was going to be his wife, mother his children, and grow old with him. She wasn’t ready to talk about that. She wanted her career, which he respected. He wished he had understood it more back then. She had moved on, though, and he thought it was time he did too. 

“Still staring?” Leon teased, elbowing Nidai in the side. He scoffed, shaking his head. “No, just spaced out.” He blinked a few times, returning his gaze to the ground. He reached up and took his head set off, setting it on the table against the wall. Leon let out a playful huff, tossing the towel around his neck into the dirty towel bin. Nekomaru flipped the light switch off, and followed Leon out of the room. He stood behind Leon at the desk as he signed out, doing the same after he was finished. He set the pen on the board and pushed it to Akane, staying silent, as they normally did. 

“Later!” Leon said, pushing the door open with his back as he walked out backwards. Nidai turned to follow suit, rolling his shoulders.

“Nidai, hold on.” Akane said, hearing his name from her mouth made his shoulders tense up. He turned back to her, a puzzled look on his face. She was bent forward behind the desk, grabbing something out of the drawer as she sat back up. It was Nidai’s senior year football jersey that she had used as a night shirt. The seniors had been given their jerseys as a gift for playing a good season. He had forgotten she still had it.

“I found it in my closet yesterday. I figured you would want it back.” She spoke, looking up to lock eyes with him. The exchange was more awkward then it needed to be, the tense feeling in his muscles not wavering. He replied with a weak, “Ah.”

She blinked, her head tilted, pushing the clumped up fabric to him. He didn’t reach out to grab it, causing her to furrow her brows. He decided at that moment that he didn’t want it back. It was hers. Everytime he would look at it he’d only see her in it. He would see every time she walked into their room in it, when she would get under the covers next to him and run her hand sleepily along his chest. He’d remember every chaste jawline kiss before she fell asleep. He’d remember the way her skin felt under his fingers. The way she would rest her head on his shoulder, and her gentle snores that he had learned to sleep to.

“No, don’t worry about it,” He waved it off, shaking his head. “It’s yours, I probably can’t fit in it anyway.” She let out a frustrated huff. She clearly didn’t want it anymore than he did, but she wasn’t going to push it.

“Fine. It is rather comfy to sleep in.” She slung it over her shoulder, taking a deep breath as she turned in her chair to get up. She signed out, and walked up to him. She crossed her arms, her jaw clenched in frustration as she looked up at him. He looked back down at her, his arms uselessly down at his sides. 

“I never wanted to stop being friends,” She said, a gentle frown on her lips. “I still wanted to see you, talk to you...Workout with you.” She muttered, glancing down and back up again. “But you kept avoiding me. I didn’t know what I did to make you hate me. I knew our fight was bad, but we’d been through so much…” She continued to mutter, never shaking her glance from his face. “I miss you, Nidai.” 

What? Missed him? She dumped him. It stumped him. He didn’t understand, he thought she wanted to distance herself from him. That’s what she had said, when she was picking her stuff up. That she needed space. So he gave her space, like she wanted. Like what she thought they needed. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Was all he responded, not shaking his gaze either. He was finding it hard to see what she wanted, not even her eyes were telling a clear story. 

“Yeah. Me too.” She stepped by him, and went to the door. “Have a nice night, I’ll see you tomorrow.” And then, she was gone. Was that it? Did she want to be friends with him again? He didn’t know how to process that interaction, so he stood there dumbfounded for a few minutes before finally turning to leave. He felt like he had ruined a friendship. He didn’t know she missed him; she had never indicated that. Why didn’t she say anything? She wasn’t the type of woman to hide her feelings. He walked out to his car and got in, resting his head against the worn head rest behind him. He closed his eyes and sat, before finally starting his car and pulling out of the parking lot. 

He had a date tonight, it wasn’t time to ponder over his ex-girlfriend. She just wanted a friendship, she didn’t want to go back to sleeping together, and well, she didn’t want to sleep with him. He knew that much, even if the thought of a friendship with her scared him because of his old feelings. He was over her, but not over the memories. He loved her and he always would. But romantically, he just couldn’t risk it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HA I'M NOT DEAD. I promise I'll be faster with updates.

As he pulled into the rundown apartment parking lot, his phone went off. His grip on his steering wheel tightened for a moment, rolling his shoulders as he sighed. He unbuckled and got out of his car, noticing Nagito’s car was gone. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, seeing he had a text from Teruteru. He had also seen that Teru had put quite an interesting contact name in for himself. 

From: Your Cute Lil Cook, 5:35 P.M.

“Hey! Figured I’d let you know that I’ve already got the tickets to the show tonight, my friend got them for me, so don’t worry about money! It’s a rock concert, and our spots are pretty fucking great. Meet me at the diner at 7:30 and we’ll walk to the venue. Can’t wait to see you, Handsome <3”

As he read the text, he could feel his heart rate rising. He took a deep breath, and typed a quick response.

To: Your Cute Lil Cook, 5:37 P.M.

“Sure thing, I’m excited!”

He stared at his phone for a few moments before realizing it was unlikely that Teru would respond to such a dry text. He slipped his phone back into his pocket, adjusted his shorts and walked up to the door. He walked through the first floor apartments, getting to the elevator to take him up to his apartment. He stepped inside the elevator, and a man followed him inside. Nidai pressed a button, and stepped back. He saw the other man was Kiyotaka Ishimaru, his neighbor who he’d met a few times. 

"Hello, Nekomaru." Kiyotaka greeted and stepped next to him, no need for him to press a button, as he lived on the same floor of Nidai's apartment. His ring caught Nidai's eye, the silver shined with the lights in the elevator.

"Hey, Taka. What's that?" He motioned with his head to the ring, and Taka lifted his hand up and looked over it fondly. He smiled softly and looked back up at Nidai.

"Mondo proposed last night after he took me on a bike ride. We went to this beautiful clearing and had a picnic." Nekomaru blinked a few times, the silver once again shined into his eyes. Seemed even an angry bastard like Owada was a romantic.

Owada and Nekomaru were on the same football team in highschool, although they didn't have any classes together being that they were a year apart. They were friends; Mondo admired Nidai's nearly always right moves, and Nidai admired Mondo's drive. Nidai was also pretty good pals with Mondo's brother, Daiya.

He remembered when Taka showed up to the school, because he certainly made a lasting impression. Mondo and Taka were constantly butting heads, Mondo spitting on Taka's shoes in the hall to Taka giving him nearly daily detentions when he was assigned the role of hall monitor. Due to the detentions, Mondo was kicked from the football team.

They only started getting along when Taka had to watch over Mondo during one of his detentions. Then a month later, they were dating. Mondo being gay was a shock to everyone. Taka, not so much. Now here they were, five years later and they had managed to make it work.

It seemed like everyone around Nekomaru was either engaged or married. Even Nagito and Hajime were talking about getting married. He felt like a lonely old man. 

"That's, really great, Taka. I'm happy for you." He clapped him on the back, causing him to hunch forward slightly. It didn't waver Taka in anyway, unsurprisingly. He responded with a smile as the elevator rang and the doors opened.

Taka thanked him, and fished his apartment keys out of his pocket. Nidai got his out as well, and they walked together towards their apartments. Taka said goodbye as he went inside, and Nidai smiled in response. He went inside as well, to see Hajime drinking orange juice directly from the bottle. The brunette glanced over and set the jug down.

"Hey." Hajime screwed the cap back on and put it into the open fridge. Nidai raised his brows, but didn't respond.

"You didn't go with Nagito?" He asked, dropping his phone and keys on the table.

"No, we got in an argument earlier. He went out for lunch with Makoto." Hajime swung the fridge door shut, and turned to Nidai. Hajime didn't dislike Makoto, they just weren't friends. Makoto was very straight, though, so Hajime didn't have any worries about cheating.

"About?" Nidai questioned. Their arguments were never break up worthy, just spats the two of them didn't want to agree on. Nidai always asked what happened when they argued.

"Just when we wanna move out. I wanted to pay off the rent for the rest of the year and then get you a new roommate before we leave, in a few months. He wants to stay until we get married. And I haven't even proposed yet, nor do I know when I'm going to." Ah. Nagito leaving meant full price rent. The cheaper rent was nice, but Nidai's job was enough to pay his half of the rent fully. Nidai just nodded and grabbed a granola bar from the cupboard.

"You wouldn't mind that, right? Us leaving in a few months?" Hajime asked, crossing his arms with a brow raised.

Nidai thought for a moment. Hajime did say they'd cover the rent till the end of the year. He'd still see Nagito. There wasn't really a downside.

"If that's what you guys agree on, I'm fine with it. Just make sure you guys don't leave the country or something." He ripped open his granola bar, turning back to the shorter man. 

Hajime sighed softly, and put his hands behind his head. He shrugged his shoulders lazily.

"I don't know if Nagito would ever agree to it. I just want our household to be just the two of us before we get married. It's different sharing a house with someone outside of a relationship and then it's just the two of you." He cracked his neck, still looking at Nidai.

Nidai nodded along, taking bites out of his granola bar. Nagito had bought the sugary ones again, but it was fine.

"Plus, you know how Nagito gets...Sometimes we can't stand each other. He's always had you to go to. You're better at reminding him to take his meds and making sure he goes to the doctors when he needs to. I just wanna make sure I can handle that." 

Nagito's dementia certainly was something Nidai had adjusted to over the years. He was used to the mood swings, occasional speech problems and Nagito's lack of planning. Nidai had always made sure Nagito was being properly hygienic, that his repetitive behaviors weren't self-destructive and he refreshed him on social cues. 

Frontotemporal dementia was a challenge. Luckily, Nagito hadn't developed physical issues yet. Hajime and Nagito had been together for almost seven years, and yet Hajime hadn’t quite grasped the illness. Nekomaru had taken care of his sick grandmother when he was young, so the role was easy to him. 

He understood where Hajime was coming from. After highschool, Nagito moved out, and a month later, Nekomaru joined him. It was only a brief time that Hajime and Nagito were the only ones in the apartment. Hajime had never officially moved in, so it was only very long visits. He had his own apartment, but it was run down and the landlord was like a stalker. At least, that’s what Nidai understood from Hajime’s description. He’d never actually seen Hajime’s apartment.

Nidai didn’t say anything, because he knew there was nothing he could say, really. He knew the gist of the situation, but he couldn’t truly help without being present in the conversation. He usually ended up taking Nagito’s side anyway. Hajime was wonderful at arguing his case, but he was also very long winded. Nagito just said what needed to be said and Nekomaru wasn’t a fantastic listener. 

“Alright, I have to get ready for work. See you later.” Hajime then walked off, just as Nidai finished his granola bar. Hajime had gotten his doctorate quicker than most, as he had become college ready by sophomore year of highschool. He was one of the more well known counselors in their area, even though he was newer to the practice. He was good at his job, and Nidai knew that by the nickname “serenity” Nagito had given him. 

Nidai threw away the wrapper to his granola bar. He rubbed his eyes hard enough to see little spots in his vision. He had to shower, get dressed, maybe get Teru a gift? Is a gift appropriate for a first date? He couldn't even remember his first date with Akane. They’d gone to a restaurant, right? God, he felt old. He’d skip out on the gift. It was a concert, where would Teru even keep flowers? He sighed, defeated.

He grabbed his phone and walked to the bathroom, quickly scrolling through his playlist to choose some music for his shower. He randomly clicked on a song, and set his phone on the bathroom counter. He shut the door, and rolled his tense shoulders. He turned the shower on, allowing the water to heat up before he got in.

He pulled his shirt up and off, catching his own eye in the mirror. He dropped the shirt onto the floor, and lifted his leg to take his sock off, his free hand holding onto the counter. He tossed the socks down with his shirt, and then pushed his shorts and boxers off. He scooped all the clothes up and dropped them into the bathroom hamper, closing the lid. He pulled the shower curtain back open, and stepped inside, the hot water hitting the tense muscles of his back.He tilted his head back, letting out a relaxed sigh. He hadn’t really registered how nervous he was.

He could feel the butterflies in his stomach.He could always tell Teru something came up and he couldn’t go, right? No. He might never get a chance to go out with him again, and he really, really wanted to go out with him. He’d have to push through his nerves and just go. He didn’t want to disappoint Teru either.

He spent the rest of the time getting ready worried, feeling a large pit in his stomach. But there he sat, in the parking lot of the diner in his car. He had cleaned himself up quite nicely, a white button up shirt, black jeans with his old beat up sneakers. Rock concert, right? He gripped his steering wheel, as he heard another car pull into the lot. 

Nekomaru glanced up towards the direction the noise came from and saw a small red car pull in about two spots away. He pulled his keys out of the ignition and took a deep breath. He got out of his car and stuffed his keys into his back pocket with his wallet while his phone was in the other. The other car shut off, and out stepped the shorter brunette Nekomaru was waiting to see. Teru turned to look at him and smiled while shutting his car door.

Nekomaru went over to him, meeting him next to the small vehicle. Teru had his hair pulled back into a bun, a few strands loose at the front that framed his face nicely. He was wearing a band t-shirt that had a black haired girl on it, who had multi-colored streaks and what appeared to be horns styled into her hair. There were a few other band members on the shirt, a blond with a scar through his eye, a blue haired girl with multiple clips in her hair, and a pink haired male. He assumed it would be who they were seeing tonight.

He could barely read the group's name through the rough cut text, but he would learn it soon enough. He smiled warmly at the brunette, who grabbed Nekomaru's much larger hand. He squeezed it gently, and Nekomaru looked down at their joined hands. 

"You know, a rock concert definitely wasn't the date I'd expect from a quiet diner's cook." Nekomaru teased, earning a snort from the shorter male.

"What can I say? I'm a sucker for cheap tickets and good music." He retorted back, poking Nekomaru in the stomach with his free hand. 

Nekomaru returned his gaze to Teru's face, and he rolled his eyes playfully. He didn't understand why he was so nervous, everything with Teruteru just felt natural and comfortable. It was hard to believe it took this long for them to finally go out. 

Teru let go of the taller man's hand, and shoved one of his hands in his back pocket. His other hand, however, rested against the muscle on Nidai's stomach. It was clear that the muscles were a selling point for the brunette. Nidai certainly didn't mind, he was proud of the body he built. 

"Seems like you're a sucker for muscles too." Nidai smirked and let out a playful huff, and Teru rolled his eyes, a smile cutely adorned on his face.

"You know, you really don't need to call me out like that." He moved his hand, and motioned with his head towards the sidewalk. "Let's get out of here before I get carried away." Nekomaru turned towards the sidewalk and began walking, Teru walking closely next to him, eventually grabbing his arm.

The warmth from Teru was wonderfully comforting, and he was still focused on it when Teru began talking again. They made small talk. They talked about jobs, living situations, and school while they walked. Eventually, they made it to the venue. It was one of the larger alternative clubs on this side of town, and Nidai was pretty impressed when he saw the entrance line. How had he not heard of these guys before?

They stepped in line, and Teru turned to face the taller man. He seemed to be studying Nekomaru's face. He had a few scars along his face and neck, but he knew that Teru was looking at the scar next to his left eye. The scar started on the outer corner of his eye, and spread in multiple directions into his hairline. He got it from an accident in the locker room in high school, when he slipped and his head scraped against the shower wall. It was more faded now. 

He watched as Teru's hand reached up, his thumb brushing over it. He didn't ask anything, just looked at it. It looked like a bundle of lighting; like he was given it by Zeus himself. Nekomaru chuckled gently, seeing Teru's brows furrow.

"Why hadn't I seen this before?" He asked, finally looking at Nidai directly. 

"Ah, it's nothing. Just caused by me being clumsy." He joked, and Teru smiled softly. He nodded and pulled his hand away, grabbing Nekomaru's hand instead. He pressed his lips to Teru's knuckles, seeing the brunette blush softly. 

The line moved quite quickly, and in a matter of moments they were in the venue. Teru saw a few people he knew, and greeted them quickly before pulling Nidai into the pit. They stood near the corner, but not too far over. 

The openers were cool, other bands Nidai didn't know but ended up enjoying. The lights turned off after the last opener, making the venue pitch black. Smoke began to fill and curl on the stage, blue lights giving the stage floor a gentle blue hue. Teru squeezed Nekomaru's arm, a smile wide on his face.

A loud guitar riff sounded, and the crowd screamed. A bright light lit up, illuminating a blonde holding a guitar. He had a shaved head, and was wearing ripped black jeans and platform boots. That was clearly the blond on Teru's shirt. 

Drums joined the guitar, and the crowd once again went wild. The lights came up, the pink haired male on Teru's shirt sitting behind them. He had a beanie on, but Nekomaru couldn't see much other than that. 

A bass joined the guitar and on came the lights. The blue haired woman stood, her hair pulled into a tight ponytail. She wore a pink skirt with fishnets, a shirt with the text 'ACAB' on it, and platform boots.

Then, there was a loud scream. And the crowd lost it. The stage lights came completely on, and there stood the black haired woman. She had the multi colored streaks, and the horns that were on Teru's shirt. She was wearing only what Nidai could describe as a trashed school uniform, her boots covered in spikes. They certainly were branded. 

Teru stood next to Nidai, his hands thrown up into the air as he screamed with the crowd. The band immediately went into their first song, and Nidai easily got into it with the rest of the crowd. 

The rest of the concert was easily the most fun Nidai had ever had. Teru told him the names of the members, Fuyuhiko on guitar, Kazuichi on drums, Sayaka on bass, and Ibuki for vocals, guitar, and keyboard. She also at one point randomly pulled out an accordion. She cracked jokes, hassled Fuyuhiko, blew a kiss to Teru, and screamed. Nidai ate it all up.

They played their final song and said goodnight, and people began leaving soon after. Ibuki ran off the stage, and came out the side wing. She ran to Teru, and hugged him through the barrier.

"I'm so glad you made it! I've missed you!" She practically yelled, and Teru hugged her back just as excitedly.

"I've missed you too! You guys did amazing!" They let go of eachother, and immediately began rambling. Nidai leaned against the barrier, not wanting to interrupt. They seemed like really good friends.

"Oh!" Teru turned to Nidai, and grabbed his hand. "This is my date! The customer I told you about." Ibuki looked over to him, and smiled widely.

"Hey there!" She punched his shoulder, stumbling slightly in her platforms. "I'm Ibuki!" She stuck her tongue out playfully, and he smiled softly in response. 

"Names Nekomaru." He nodded in acknowledgement to her, and she laughed. 

"You guys should come to the back! Kazuichi would love to see you again!" She grabbed the fencing around the pit and pulled it open, grabbing Teru and Nidai by their wrists. She dragged them to a string of doors, and pulled one open. Fuyuhiko was sprawled out on the couch in the room, Kazuichi was on the phone with someone, and Sayaka was pulling her hair out of the ponytail it was in.

Kazuichi quickly finished his phone call and ran straight to Teru, picking him up excitedly with a hug. They started talking with each other excitedly, and Fuyuhiko waved to Nidai lazily. 

Teru introduced him to the band, and they had a relatively good conversation. Ibuki gave them drinks and they all sat around and just talked. Teru sat next to Nidai on a mound opposite from Fuyuhiko, his head rested on Nidai's shoulder.

They left about an hour later, hand in hand and happy. They walked back to the diner in comfortable silence, the night air nipping at their noses. 

Nidai walked Teru to his car, and the brunette stopped to face him. He had a gentle smile on his face, and his face was a light red from the air. Nekomaru only smiled softly, looping his arms around the shorter man's midsection.

Teru rested his hands on Nekomaru's chest, playing with the fabric of his shirt.

"I had a really good time tonight, Nekomaru. I hope you did too." He said calmly, looking up at him. Nidai nodded, and brushed a stray hair away from Teru's eye. 

They stayed like that for a few minutes, holding each other calmly. It felt secure, and warm. Nidai could feel the fluttering in his stomach, and his brain was telling him one thing.

Kiss him.

So he did. He leaned down, and met the brunette's lips. He felt Teru's grip tighten in his shirt as he kissed him back, the brunette pushing himself onto his toes. The kiss was almost too good. Teru tasted like vanilla, and it made Nidai never want to pull away from him. 

The shorter man pressed himself against his car, allowing the kiss to be deepened. After a few more moments, he pulled away, looking at Nidai. 

"I've never kissed a guy with a beard." He spoke softly, a wide smile on his lips now.


End file.
